Idiom
Idiom is a phrase or an expression that has a figurative, or sometimes literal, meaning. Categorized as a form of formulaic language, idioms are not meant to be taken literally. They have a meaning that is not deducible from those of the individual words. For example, an English speaker would understand the phrase "kick the bucket" to mean "to die" – and also to actually kick a bucket. Furthermore, they would understand when each meaning is being used in context.
Definition[edit | edit source]
An idiom is a common word or phrase with a culturally understood meaning that differs from what its composite words' denotations would suggest; i.e. the phrase is not taken literally. For example, the English phrase "to kick the bucket" conveys the idea of dying, not of physically kicking a container.
Types of Idioms[edit | edit source]
Idioms can be classified into three types: cliché, colloquialism, and slang. A cliché is an idiom that has become so common that it has lost its original impact, such as "as easy as pie". A colloquialism is an idiom that is used in everyday conversation but not in formal speech or writing. Slang is a type of language that is informal and is often used by a particular group of people.
Examples[edit | edit source]
Some examples of idioms include "break a leg" (meaning good luck), "kick the bucket" (meaning to die), "the ball is in your court" (meaning it is your decision), and "bite the bullet" (meaning to endure a painful situation).
See Also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
Idiom Resources | ||
---|---|---|
|
|
Translate to: East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.Contributors: Admin, Prab R. Tumpati, MD